The NSSE survey, launched in 2000 and updated in 2013, assesses the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development. The questionnaire collects information in five categories: (1) participation in dozens of educationally purposeful activities, (2) institutional requirements and the challenging nature of coursework, (3) perceptions of the college environment, (4) estimates of educational and personal growth since starting college, and (5) background and demographic information.

For information about licensing NSSE items, send a message to cpritems@indiana.edu. Use of the copyrighted NSSE survey without permission is prohibited.

NSSE 2018 Versions

The following links are paper-formatted facsimiles of the online NSSE instrument.

NSSE participating institutions may append up to two Topical Modules - short sets of questions on designated topics such as academic advising, civic engagement, experiences with diversity, technology, and writing. Modules allow for deeper exploration of important areas based on campus needs.

All students who complete NSSE using their smartphone, tablet or desktop computer will experience an optimized survey format that is based on several years of testing. To see the survey on any device, click here. Core U.S. English version questions from NSSE 2017 plus those from the Academic Advising Topical Module have been included for demonstration purposes. If you would like to experience a smartphone survey taking experience from your desktop computer, you can do so using this alternative demonstration survey.

All Students To Receive Sexual Orientation Question

Beginning in 2018, NSSE will include the demographic question about sexual orientation for all respondents.

Survey Question:
Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation?
Straight (heterosexual); Bisexual; Gay; Lesbian; Queer; Questioning or unsure; Another sexual orientation, please specify; I prefer not to respond.

Sexual orientation is a significant and meaningful part of students' identity, and is a factor in variation in the undergraduate experience. To encourage institutions to examine the engagement of students with diverse identities, NSSE provides racial-ethnic, gender, disability, and, now, sexual orientation data. This information will also benefit higher education research by providing more complete data on an understudied topic and by creating opportunities for institutions to examine the experiences of their LGBQ+ students compared to those on other campuses. In addition, this change recognizes recent shifts in law and public opinion as well as feedback from both LGBQ+ and straight students that they appreciate being asked about this aspect of their identity.